The Elite Ice Hockey League confirms it has updated criteria for its European Qualification rules following the result of the Challenge Cup Final.

Prior to the season, the criteria for qualifying for European tournaments was agreed. The additional criteria is highlighted below:

League Winners: Champions Hockey League

Playoff Winners: Continental Cup

Next open spot if not taken by one of the teams above – Challenge Cup Winners

Next open spot if not taken by one of the teams above – League Runners Up

Next open spot in not taken by one of the teams above – League Third Placed

As Belfast Giants (via the Continental Cup) and Cardiff Devils (by finishing no lower than second*) have already earned places in the Champions Hockey League, and the league runners-up can now only be the Devils or Giants, the next criteria to be added is that a European place would be awarded to the team finishing third in the regular season.

This means that if either the Devils or Giants go on to also win the playoff title, the Continental Cup place would be awarded to the team ending the regular season in third. Should neither of these teams in the playoffs, the playoff winners receive a place in the Continental Cup as previously stated.

Belfast Giants were awarded a place in this season’s Continental Cup place as they had won the Challenge Cup – and because Cardiff had won the league and the playoffs.

*As the Belfast Giants had already received a CHL place from the Continental Cup, the CHL awarded the EIHL League Winners’ place to the runners-up.